Key elements of significance, cited in National Natural Landmark proposal
- The Black River of southeastern North Carolina is one of the great natural areas of the United States. The river’s bottomlands and swamp forests are extensive and of generally excellent quality.
- The bald cypress and bottomland hardwood forested wetlands include the oldest living trees in eastern North America and are among the oldest living trees on earth.
- The oldest bald cypress tree yet documented is at least 2,630-years old, among many others dating between one and three thousand years old. Only five tree species on earth are known to be capable of living for more than 2,500 years, including the ancient bald cypress of the Black River. The Black River’s bald cypress trees are the oldest wetlands tree species known on earth.
- The State of North Carolina in 1995 designated the Black River as “Outstanding Resource Waters.”
- The Nature Conservancy and North Carolina Coastal Land Trust protect over 7,000 acres in their Black River preserves, and state agencies own an additional 3,636 acres of forested wetlands, streams, and marshes in the river’s riparian corridor.
- Bald cypress and bottomland hardwood wetlands have been dramatically reduced since Euro-American settlement, and the Black River and Cape Fear River systems support some of the highest quality natural communities and wildlife habitat left on the Atlantic Coastal Plain, including habitats for several threatened and rare species.